Lucien tapped the suppressant syringe with his fingers, checking the dose one last time. "Are you sure you want this?" he asked again.
Kieran's face was flushed with fever, his breathing heavy. "Yes. Even with Leia by my side, I'm not taking any chances."
Lucien gave a short hum of acknowledgment. He rolled up the sleeve of Kieran's right arm, found the vein, and injected the shot with a steady hand.
At that moment, the door opened and Ronan stepped in with Leia right behind him. Her eyes immediately locked onto the empty syringe in Lucien's hand.
"What are you doing?" she demanded, her gaze snapping from the syringe to Lucien.
"He asked for a suppressant," Lucien answered calmly. He tossed the used syringe into the sharps bin.
"I told him to do it," Kieran said, his voice rough but firm. "It's necessary. And… your uncle seems worried about you."
Leia crossed the room in a few quick strides and sat on the edge of the bed beside Kieran. She took his hand, her grip tight.
